Weekend Bookworm: The Trusted

28 March 2013 , 11:08 AM by Rob Minshull

The Trusted by John M. Green

It was one of the many paradoxes of the Thatcher era in the UK that when it came to accusations of disloyalty and betrayal, the British Conservatives invariably reserved their ire for the trade unions or other representatives of the labour movement.

The real traitors were, of course, members of the upper classes: the Cambridge Five spied for the Soviet Union and all acquired positions of privilege and prestige within the Establishment; and those who favoured Hitler and were most vocal in their support for a peace deal after the declaration of war were aristocrats and members of the Royal Family.

So who would be willing and able to betray our way of life in the 21st century? Should we suspect a new generation of social democrats or left-wingers? Or is it the anti-globalisation and "Occupy" protesters who pose the most danger?

In John M. Green's brilliant and provocative new eco-thriller, The Trusted, those intent on our destruction are not Islamic terrorists but trusted insiders, those at the very top of government, business, science and academia.

As sleepers at the highest levels, the conspirators who belong to a group called the Nine Sisters have spent 10 long years infiltrating the world's most trusted organisations. Now they are ready to launch their plan, their "life's dream of dragging the modern world back to a more primitive version of utopia".

As the author explains: "The traditional methods to detect networks like Al-Qaeda won't work with this new breed of extremists. That's because their evil genius is that they look like us, think like us and work with us ... precisely to mislead us to think that they are us."

Nine Sisters - 9S - aim for nothing less than the slashing of the world's population and the destruction of the global economy. Their goal: to bring on the winter, so a new spring for our planet can follow. Their means: a concerted worldwide assault on banks, computers, transport, emergency services, the oil industry and even the Catholic Church. Fiat justitia et ruant coeli. Let justice be done, though the heavens fall.

When the first act in their plan first erupts - US nuclear power stations suddenly go haywire - the finger is pointed at an Australian, Dr Tori Swyft. Swift is a former 9S member and was recently forced out of the CIA. Can she convince the Americans of her innocence and will she be able to stop the 9S conspiracy before it is too late?

The "cyber threat" has been hyped up by politicians of varying shades in recent times. With his new novel, John M. Green delivers a chilling prophesy of what could really happen if extremists turned technology against itself. The Trusted is a classic race against time thriller with a difference: its terrifying political edge makes it all too plausible.

Comments

It's a gripping fiction Alan, although John M Green is making a habit of predicting things in his novels. His next novel ( in progress ) features a Pope who resigned, before the latest real resignation occurred. And the recent cyber attacks in Korea and the one in Europe this week are too real for comfort. Don't read The Trusted if you're prone to paranoia : ) John spoke with us at Abbey's Bookshop in an interview that you can find here: http://abbeysbookshop.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/john-m-green-chats-with-abbeys-about.html